Alcopops: don’t let their sweetness fool you

Sweet, fruity and sometimes caffeine-filled, 'alcopops' are a popular choice among teen drinkers as they disguise the taste of the hard liquour they contain. Fiona Baker explains why parents should be worrying about their availability.

They taste like sweet bubbly soft drinks but can pack a dangerous punch. ‘Alcopops’ is the popular name given to the premixed alcoholic drinks that resemble soft drinks, which seem to be the alcoholic drink of choice for teens and have been blamed for increases in under-age drunkenness, alcohol-related injury and bad behaviour among young people.

What’s in an alcopop?

Pre-mixed drinks, like the UDL of the 1980s, have been around a long time but what has experts worried about today’s versions is that a whole lot of flavours, sweeteners and colourings have been added to make them more attractive and palatable, helping to introduce alcohol to young people who normally might find the taste of alcohol abhorrent.

Also called “ready-to-drink”, these pre-mixed sweet and bubbly concoctions are part spirit or wine and part non-alcoholic drink, such as milk or a soft drink. They are bought in a can or bottle, already mixed and can also include caffeine and other stimulants that can give drinkers a false sense of alertness.

According to a 2008 Choice report into alcopops, they’re the most commonly consumed form of alcohol among 12 to 17-year-old girls, are considered an initiation drink by many young people, and have been described by concerned groups as “bridging” or “gateway” drinks for less experienced drinkers, providing a sweet and deceptively strong introduction to alcohol.

Reducing alcohol related harm via taxes

In 2008, a tax was bought in to try to curb dangerous drinking among under-agers. While it’s raised about $4 billion in tax revenue, a study from the University of Queensland has shown the number of young people with alcohol-related injuries has not declined, and that there have been over 80,000 alcohol-related admissions to emergency departments in hospitals just on the Gold Coast over a three-year period.

As suggested by Dr Steve Kisely, from the university’s School of Population Health, this steady rate of alcohol-related admissions could mean that teenagers, with their relatively low disposable income, may be swapping increasingly-expensive alcopops for stronger liquors. Irrespective of government measures, parents have a responsibility to their legal aged children by preparing them to make responsible choices when it comes to their drinking decisions.

Research shows that education about alcohol starts in the home and that parents are their kids’ most influential role models. From an early age it’s important that parents demonstrate responsible drinking behaviours and attitudes to alcohol, setting a good example and communicating sensible boundaries